Former president Joyce Banda has urged the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to “graciously celebrate their new status” other than dwelling on badmouthing other politicians and former leaders.

Press Officer during Banda’s tenure as President, Tusekele Mwanyongo, said it was unacceptable for DPP spokesman, Nicholous Dausi, to claim Banda is “nursing shock defeat” to President Peter Mutharika in the May 20 elections and doubts if she will be able to meet her successor next week.

“The former president is still nursing the shock defeat [and] it’s understandable,” said Dausi on Friday.

But in an exlcusive interview with Nyasa Times, Mwanyongo said Dausi’s remarks is “nonsensical” .

Former president Banda accepted the results of the chaotic elections

“It is nonsensical because Her Excellency Dr. Joyce Banda is not nursing any ‘shock defeat’ because there simply was no ‘shock defeat’ as the election results were heavily disputed and that it was the High Court that decided which way the elections should go. The High Court ruling went against the over 75 percent of Malawian voters who demanded that a nationwide recount of the votes be carried out,” said the Press Officer during Banda’s tenure.

He pointed out the whole world is aware that it is not only Banda who doubted and publicly questioned the credibility of the voting process but all the other major contesting candidates and political parties had also “smelt a rat”.

“They all demanded a nationwide recount, except for the DPP, whose presidential candidate was perceived to be winning at that time. The DPP had favoured an announcement of the results,” he said.

After an acrimonious court battle, High Court Judge Kenyatta Nyirenda ruled in favour of an announcement of the results of a bitter and chaotic election, which the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) did one hour later.

Earlier, however,Banda had called for the whole election to be annulled, denouncing “serious irregularities” and claiming the contest was “null and void”.

Mwanyongo said former president Banda being “a firm believer in peace and unity and the rule of law,” congratulated President Mutharika after MEC declared him presidential elections winner.

Banda urged the country to throw its weight behind Mutharika.

The country’s first female president, who came to power in 2012 after the death of Bingu wa Mutharika, the elder brother of Peter Mutharika, said she wanted “to urge all Malawians to support the newly elected President Professor Mutharika and his Government as they take on this foundation of progress and endeavour to develop Malawi even further.”

The former President went further to urge all Malawians to move forward “as one nation, to remain united, to uphold the rule of law, and continue being peaceful and calm as we head into the next fifty years of Malawi’s future.”

“With due humility, the DPP must be encouraged to graciously celebrate their new status without badmouthing other political leaders, including Her Excellency Dr. Joyce Banda,” Mwanyongo urged.

He added: “MEC had declared His Excellency President Mutharika winner of the ‘disputed elections’ and all presidential contestants, including the outgoing President, sincerely congratulated the new Head of State based on that declaration. What more does Hon. Dausi, and indeed like-minded DPP officials, want from Her Excellency Dr. Joyce Banda than this outright humility?

“It is pleasing to note that His Excellency President Mutharika seems to have already gotten down to real ‘governing’ business without wasting time with petty politicking. It shall be most gratifying to the entire nation of Malawi to see the same spirit in his closest lieutenants, like Hon. Dausi, for the sake of national development and progress.”